


Once Bitten, Never Shy

by Dancing_Heart_Pony



Category: Jacksepticeye (Video Blogging RPF), Markiplier (Video Blogging RPF), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Angst, Apocalypse, But mostly angst, Confessions, F/M, Gore, M/M, One Shot, Road Trips, Some Fluff, Some Humor, Zombie Apocalypse, Zombies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-08
Updated: 2018-11-08
Packaged: 2019-07-29 03:19:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 10,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16255607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dancing_Heart_Pony/pseuds/Dancing_Heart_Pony
Summary: Jack and many of his fellow YouTubers are living in the middle of the zombie apocalypse. Jack makes the mistake of going out alone and ends up getting bitten. Now he has to rely on Mark to take care of him in his final hours of sanity.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This fic has been in production since April of 2017. Oof.

The spread began when they were all in LA for a Vidcon. There were stories on the news about a mysterious disease outbreak and how it made the recipient's skin rot away and reduce their brains to mush. It turned them into monsters. The outbreak had been held under control for a while, but it returned with relentless strength, taking over some of the biggest cites of the world. One of the only large cites to survive had been LA. It was well fortified, so naturally, people flocked there to escape from the spreading disease. This was where the YouTubers were holed up. All flights and transportation had been barred until further notice and any crossing of US borders was banned, to prevent unknowing victims from spreading the disease any further. That meant they were all stuck there.

Scientists were all over the issue immediately, but none could find a cure for the strange new flesh-eating virus. Mark should have worked in medical, but he didn't feel confident enough in his skills, especially since he dropped out of medical school before he could earn his qualifications. He knew more about biology and medical science than the average person, but he didn't consider himself smart enough to help with research.

Being legal residents of LA, Mark and his team had been granted access to a military-grade base camp, designed to protect the population in case of a crisis. He had insisted that Jack, Felix, and his other non-resident YouTuber friends be admitted too, but his request was denied. As a result, he refused to accept his own access and instead the group trekked out to find a place to make their own camp.

It was a long, dangerous journey and the infected seemed to be everwhere. Any humans that dared to travel were putting themselves at risk. Many lives were lost along the way, including some of their own. Most notably Ken, Marzia, and Signe.

After searching for weeks for a place, Mark and the other YouTubers had built up a fortress inside an abandoned sports stadium. Things were somewhat safe now, but food and supplies still needed to be maintained somehow and most of the residents were traumatized in one way or another.

Felix had seen a lot. His face and demeanor had been hardened by the shear number of the lives that were lost. The lives of people that were closest to him. But he didn't have time to cry about it. Something about living in this new reality made him grow up fast. After the death of his friends, nothing was the same. Anyone who dared to get close to him seemed to be fated to suffer. That's why he never spoke of Marzia. That's why he didn't laugh. That's why he isolated himself now, and hardly talked anymore.

Jack had seen the effects firsthand too. Arguably, he hadn't suffered as much as Felix, but he had still seen a few friends be taken down by the monsters. He shattered on the inside when Signe had been killed, but unlike Felix, he didn't let the negativity set in. That was just something that he did, no matter the circumstances. He carried on, for her and for the rest of their friends that he still had a chance to help.

Mark had been one of the luckier ones. Neither Amy, nor any of his other team members had been harmed during the journey, and for that he was eternally thankful. He was heavy-hearted for his friends' losses, of course, but nowhere near how torn up he would've become if his best friends hadn't made it through.

Once the group was in their new home, he had taken up the job of being leader to the others. He wasn't quite sure why they started following him initially, but he was happy to do it, if it meant keeping his friends safe from then on.


	2. The Bite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack makes the mistake of going out alone and gets bitten.

It was idiotic of him to go alone, he already knew that. Jack wasn't selfish by any means, but he was sick of waiting for the escorts and having to split whatever he found with them. He wanted something for himself this time, something that could get him a little extra cash. God knows he wouldn't be getting his cut of ad revenue anytime soon. Then again, what would he even do with money? Maybe he'd just have to find something of value and trade it for something he needed. That's how it seemed to go nowadays.

As soon as he reached the outskirts of the town, he heard the telltale gargling in the distance. He apporched a convenience store he had been to a few times, before everything turned to shit. He thought he would go in, salvage what he could find, and get out before they even discovered him.

He was wrong, of course.

Behind the counter of the abandoned shop, Jack hurriedly took as many boxes as his bag could hold. He whirled around to leave, and was met by three infected closing in on him, blocking the only exit. How had he not heard them? His hand immediately flew to his belt to grasp his gun. He shot the middle zombie in the head and it fell to the floor. He realized that wasn't the best strategy when the other two lunged at him from either side, grabbing at his arms and boxing him in. He unloaded a few more rounds into their skulls as well, but not before one of them managed to sink it's teeth into him. As the monsters staggered back, moaning out in their final moments, Jack felt blood trickle down his back. He ran his fingers over the back of his shoulder with horror. He couldn't see it properly because of the location, but he knew it was deep. If it had been an arm or a leg he could've cut it off before the infection spread, but he couldn't cut out a chunk of his neck. _Shit_ was his only coherent thought. He quickly retrieved a scarf from his bag and pressed the corner of it against the wound to stop the bleeding. Not that that would help with what was already happening to him internally. When the bleeding stopped he wrapped the rest of the scarf around his neck, masking the bite until further notice.

The Irishman staggered back into the camp, looking a bit worse for wares. There were few people outside, as it was beginning to get dark. Bob was standing guard near the gate. _Bummer,_ _he_ _must've_ _got_ _stuck_ _with_ _night_ _shift._ The infected preferred to hunt at night, so guarding camp during that time was the riskiest.

"Dude, you look awful. What happened?" Bob asked as Jack apporched.

"Damn infected, held me up by the convenience store."

"That's rough. You shouldn't have gone out by yourself."

"Yeah, okay, dad." Jack replied sarcastically. "I took care of 'em."

The older man sighed and shook his head. "Did you at least manage to scavenge anything?"

Jack lifted the flap of his bag, showing the contents to his friend. It was full of cigarette cartons. When Bob looked at him dumbfounded, he spoke up. "They're not for me. I'm gonna sell 'em."

"Ah." Bob nodded, seeming relieved.

Jack rolled his eyes. "Honestly, d'ya think I'd get inta that shit now of all times?"

"I don't know, man." Bob shrugged. "Maybe the stress of living in this reality finally got to you. Needed something to take the edge off."

"Eh, well, can't afford ta be hooked on anythin' in 'this reality'."

"True."

Jack adjusted the strap of his bag, being extra careful not to disturb his scarf. It was becoming more difficult for him to hide his nerves and keep up with the casual conversation. "So, is Merk around? I need ta talk to him."

"He should be. Check the bar."

Jack snorted. "Right." It was an ongoing joke that Mark hung out at the bar, but drank cola instead of beer. "I'll see ya later then."

"Tell Mark to save me a drink!" Bob called.

Jack just laughed half-heartedly. "Will do."

As soon as Jack was out of Bob's sight, he started to quicken his pace. He needed to reach the bar as soon as possible. Mark had studied biomedical engineering for a brief time, and while he was no doctor, Jack trusted him. He might know some way of helping Jack in his situation, or at least prolonging his life a little. He entered the bar and scanned the room for the familiar tuft of dark hair. He spotted Mark sitting at the counter, chatting with whoever was tending the bar. Jack also saw Felix in the back corner, by himself. He looked rather lonely, and Jack thought maybe he should go talk to him, but he had to sort out his own problems first.

When the bartender turned to address some other patrons, Jack slid onto the stool next to Mark.

The American turned to face him. "Oh, hey, Jack." he smiled when he saw his friend's face.

Jack kept his voice low. "Hey... uh, I have a bit of a problem. I was hoping you might be able to help."

"Hmm?" Mark took a sip from his soda bottle. "What kind of problem?"

"Can't tell you, I've got to show you." Jack whispered.

Mark just stared at him in confusion.

"Just come outside with me, it's important."

"Why are you whispering?"

" _Dude_."

"Alright, I'm coming. Jeez, hold on." he took a few bills from his pocket and set them on the counter under his empty bottle. Jack lead him out the door, noticing that Felix had glanced up at them without changing his hard expression. Jack avoided making eye contact with him. He didn't want to cause any further suspicion, especially for the swede. Felix had gone through a lot in the last couple years and had all but lost his humanity. Jack was scared to think of how he'd react.

Once they were outside, Mark asked again. "So, what's your problem?"

Jack looked around to make sure they were alone, before turning his back slightly towards his friend. Silently, he unraveled part of his scarf up to reveal the bite mark at the juncture of his shoulder and neck. He let Mark stare a moment and wait for it to sink in.

"Jack, holy shit!" Mark wasn't loud, but his words were exaggerated and his eyes were wide with bewilderment. "Why didn't you go to medical!?"

"Are ya kiddin' me right now? If I went ta medical, they'd sedate me on sight!"

Mark was quiet for a moment, probably trying to grasp what his friend had just showed him. "You're... you're gonna die." he finally concluded.

"Wow, thanks for the reassurance." Whelp, so much for Mark knowing how to fix this. In the back of his mind, Jack had already known his friend probably couldn'tdo much to help him, but perhaps he was still in denial that it was even happening.

"Sorry, I'm just... In shock, I guess."

"How do ya think I feel?"

A few people passed by, but none paid the two of them any mind. Neither one of them had noticed the sound of the bar door opening and someone else coming out during their discussion. They had no idea anyone else was present until Felix was next to them. Jack panicked and remembered that his scarf wasn't covering him anymore. He quickly moved to fix it, but it was too late. Felix had saw. There was a glint of realization in the Swedish man's eyes, then all at once he sprung forward.

"Mark! Get away from him, he's infected!"

"No, wait!" Jack protested, to no avail, as he was shoved against the brick wall of the building.

Mark just looked on at the event that was unfolding in front of him, paralyzed. A few of the others had gathered at the sound of the shout.

Felix grabbed Jack's shirt and threw him to the ground, forcing him onto his knees. He held his gun up to Jack's head, his arms shaking violently.

"Felix, No!" Emma blurted out, as she joined the crowd and saw what was happening. The former didn't even glance in her direction.

"Dude, I promise, I'm fine." Jack pleaded weakly. That was how it always started though. The infected never felt any symptoms until it was too late.

Felix pushed the barrel of his weapon hard into the Irishman's skull, "Shut the fuck up! I know you're infected! I saw the bite!"

Jack winced and held his breath, mentally preparing for what his friend might do next.

"Fe..." Mark started, stepping towards him slowly. "It doesn't have to be like this. Please, put the gun down."

"No! We have to kill him now! If we keep him alive, he'll turn all of us!" the swede snapped back. He had a crazed look in his eyes. His finger was on the trigger, threatening to pull it.

PJ stood farther off, not saying anything. He already knew how relentless Felix could be, and wouldn't try to negotiate with him.

Mark maintained his calm, yet stern tone. "He's still human, look at his eyes. There's still time. He deserves a little more time, Felix, don't you think?"

Felix's eyes clouded over and he softened his grip on the handle of the gun. He looked away. "That'll just cause more trouble." he mumbled. "If we wait until he starts attacking us, it'll be more painful." the blonde-haired man grabbed the back collar of Jack's shirt and dragged him to face Mark. "Don't you want to remember him like this, instead of like a monster?"

The Irishman was crying now and he was scared. He didn't want to die. Not now. Not from a gunshot. Not by the hand of his deeply traumatized friend. Jack wasn't even religious, but he was praying now. He didn't even know who to, but there he was, pleading for someone, anyone, to save him.

"You did the same for Marzia." another voice interrupted.

Felix whipped around to see that it was Emma who had spoken. "How dare you bring Marzia into this!" he growled. Most of his companions knew better than to bring this up. She was just one of many close friends he'd lost to the infected.

"You wanted to spend all the time you could with her, while she was still human." Emma continued. "Now Mark just wants to do the same for his friend. I know you understand. Think about how you were feeling then."

Felix finally lowered his weapon. "It was a mistake, Em. I had to-" his voice cracked with emotion. "I had to see my girlfriend change into one of those things. I'd never wish that kind of pain on anyone."

"I'll take him." Mark stepped forward, in between Felix and Jack.

Jack raised his head.

"I'll take him away from camp, where he can't hurt any of you. Just let me have a chance to say a proper goodbye, at least." his expression was dead serious, standing his ground, not giving an inch.

Felix sighed. "Then you'll have to kill him, Mark."

"If it comes to that, I will." came the American's steady reply.

"Okay, but don't say that I didn't warn you." the swede grunted. "And just to refresh your memory, the infection usually sets in within 24 hours, but it can take up to 72 hours before the person starts acting infected." It was hard to tell if his words were directed at Mark or Jack himself, but that gave the Irishman even more reason to be upset. He was still trembling. The prospect of dying was frightening enough, he didn't need all the specific details. His eyes moved up to meet those of the man that had threatened his life just seconds ago. "Fe?" his voice was barely even a squeak.

"I'm sorry, man..." Felix breathed. He couldn't maintain eye contact. Not being able to bring himself to say anything else, he just walked away.

A lot of the others left when Felix did, but PJ and Emma were immediately at Jack's sides, helping him up.

"Are you okay?" PJ asked. It had seemed like appropriate question, until he said it out loud. Jack had been bitten by a zombie, pushed down, and held at gunpoint by one of his closest friends. Clearly he wasn't okay. He didn't even answer, he just pulled away and shuffled closer to Mark.

"Get me outta here." he mumbled.

"I have to get my stuff first, but okay."

"I'll come with you."

Mark nodded.

Jack followed Mark to the shack that he and Amy shared, but decided not to go inside. "It'd probably be best if you tell 'er what's goin' on first." he reasoned, sitting on the bench outside the shack.

"Right. I'll be right back." Mark replied, slipping into the abode. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ((Felix was really an asshole... I’m sorry.))


	3. Bittersweet Goodbyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack says goodbye to his friends at the camp.

Amy stood in the doorway, handing Mark his backpack and shotgun. "Be careful." she warned. Her hand lingered on his for a moment when she passed him his belongings.

"Don't worry about me, worry about him." Mark murmured and jerked his head towards Jack. Mark slung his bag over his shoulder, and secured his gun to its spot on his belt.

Amy was watching the other man now, as he waited for Mark to come out and collect him. "I'll miss him." she confessed, her face falling.

"Me too."

"This isn't fair..."

"I know." Mark replied calmly.

"I wish you didn't have to-"

"I know." he repeated, stopping her before she could finish her sentence. He searched Amy's expression. She looked pained, distressed, but mostly just angry. Mark guessed she was in just as much shock about the whole ordeal as he was.

"How long are you going to be gone?" she asked.

"Three days at most. Any longer than that-" there was an unspoken 'I might be dead' that followed, but it was only expressed by silence and the intensity of his gaze.

Suddenly, Amy wrapped her arms tightly around him. Mark accepted the embrace, one arm around her and the other at the back of her head, gently pulling her closer. Neither wanted to let go.

As they eventually broke away, he kissed the top of her head, trying his best to comfort her. Their eyes met and the emotions behind them spoke volumes more than words ever could. They were both scared, for each other, for their other friends, but mostly for Jack.

"You gonna come say goodbye to him?" Mark finally asked.

Amy just nodded.

They made their way over to the bench. When they got close enough, Mark cleared his throat to announce their presence to a seemingly zoned-out Jack. Mark couldn't blame him though. He must have had a lot on his mind.

When Jack noticed, he stood to agknowledge them. "Hey."

"Hey," Amy forced a smile, trying to put the other's mind at ease. "I came out to see you off." Jack returned the smile. "I just wanted to say that I always thought you were really cool. It was an honor to know you."

Jack laughed. "You're not bad yourself, kid."

Amy's voice began to break as she continued talking. "There's so much stuff we should've done, and we didn't ever just hang out. I wish we could have been better friends, but then... all of this..."

Jack realized Amy was beginning to look a bit choked up, so he stepped forward. "Aw, come 'ere." he pulled her into a hug. "It'll be okay." On Jack’s end it was a blatant lie, but sometimes those are the most comforting.

Mark watched and waited patiently. This was longer than he usually liked any other guy to hug his girlfriend, but considering the circumstances, it didn't bother him as much.

As they broke contact, Jack spoke again. "I might be outta time, but you still have yours. Plus, even when things are over for me, you'll still have that dork over there for company." he jerked his head in Mark's direction.

Amy grinned a bit through her tears at her friend's humor. "Thanks. I uh-" she struggled for the right words. "Enjoy the rest of your time, okay?"

Jack smiled again and it was genuine. "I will."

"Well then, I guess, goodbye?"

"Bye." he answered.

Amy turned back to Mark, kissing him one last time before returning to the shack, waving from the doorway.

"Ready?" Mark asked.

"Yeah, let's go."

They started heading towards the exit of the camp, catching some sideways glances and hushed conversations from other residents. Then they approached the gate and Bob was still guarding. The two men stopped and exchanged words with their friend as he raised the gate.

"Jack, I just heard. Is it true?" Bob asked, looking extremely upset.

"Yeah, it's true." the Irishman replied.

"I can't believe it. W-why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"I didn't want you to worry. For some reason I thought Mark could help, so I wouldn't have to tell anyone else, but..." he didn't get a chance to finish his sentence, because Bob was wrapping his strong arms around him and trying to keep himself from sobbing.

"What are we gonna do without you, man?"

"I don't know..." Jack admitted.

When Bob let go, he moved to pull Mark aside. He grasped Mark's shoulder. "Take care of him, okay? D-don't wait too long after t-the eyes change," he stammered. "I don't want him to suffer..."

"Of course." Mark answered. "I'll make sure he's as comfortable as possible, I promise."

"Okay."

"Hey, look at me, Bob. We're going to get through this, alright? You gotta stay strong, alright?"

"R-right."

Mark gave his friend a pat on the back, then he and Jack walked through the opened gate, back into the unforgiving outside world.


	4. The Journey Begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack and Mark leave the camp and make their way out of the city.

In Jack's mind, leaving Bob like that was probably the most painful part about this incident so far, but it had to be done. After he and Mark left the confines of the camp, and were well away from any buildings, he stopped in his tracks.

When Mark noticed the absence of the other's footsteps, he glanced back at him with an eyebrow raised. "What's wrong? Why'd you stop?"

"I'm ready. Shoot me." The Irishman held out his arms and closed his eyes, exposing his chest, making himself an easy target.

"Jack!" Mark snapped, not amused.

"Seriously, just do it, before I start foamin' at the mouth 'er whatever."

"You don't have rabies." Mark frowned. "And I just got you out of this same situation, remember?"

Jack ignored him. "You should've let Felix kill me. He would have done it quick, no questions asked. Then it would already be done and over with. Everyone could go back to their lives 'n forget about me..."

"Really? Jack, that's crazy. We could never forget you! And you would have rather been shot there, on your knees, in front of everyone?"

"Well, when you put it like that..."

"Come on man, snap out of it! I did this to buy you more time! Don't you want that?"

Jack hesitated. "I don't know what I want anymore."

"You don't?"

"Merk, for fuck's sake, just look around. We're living in dystopia! There's nothing left! We've lost our dream jobs, and people we care about, and now we have to sit around waiting, pretending we're not all gonna die!"

Mark just shook his head, barely listening to what the Irishman was saying. "You... you really changed. It's like I don't even know you anymore. What happened to you, Jack? You used to see the best side of everything. Now you're just rolling over and accepting your fate, not even fighting..."

"Because it won't do me any good! Not anymore. No one can fix this. There's no cure."

"But there's still hope," Mark tried to counter. "There are dozens of people dedicated to finding it, it just takes time."

"Yeah, just like cancer." Jack rolled his eyes. That was low. He knew that comment would probably hit Mark particularly hard, but in the heat of the moment, he couldn't find it in himself to care.

"Hey, don't think like that! They could find a new lead tomorrow, you don't know."

"That'd be great, if I knew I was gonna make it to tomorrow."

"Dammit, would you just shut up for a minute and listen to me!?"

An eerie silence fell over the both of them. Mark's face was twisted in anger and he looked like he was about ready to punch him. Jack was a bit frightened by the prospect. Mark must have noticed, because his face immediately softened and he backed down.

"Sorry."

"No, I'm sorry."

"But it was me. I got carried away. I just don't want you to lose hope. Just live for right now. Don't waste whatever time you have left whining and complaining. You ever heard of going out with a bang?"

Jack nods. "I'm really sorry Merk, it's just hard to find the good in all this bullshit, y'know?"

"I understand."

The two of them started walking again, and neither spoke. They were out way beyond the city by now and everything seemed like dry, empty desert.

"So, how far are we goin' exactly?" Jack asked.

"Disneyland?" Mark proposed.

"You're joking."

"I don't know, we might as well try."

"There's nothing even still operating. Probably looks like a jungle by now."

"But it'd still be cool to see it, for the aesthetic?"

"Hmm..."

They walked farther out than Jack had ever been, but that probably wasn't even notable, seeing as he hadn't ever stayed in California this long, and aside from the capital cities, he had hardly seen any of it. It was incredibly depressing to see how such a thriving society had crumbled so fast because of this pandemic. How had the whole country gone to shit in such a short span of time?

They were approaching a lone house. It was pitch black now, and they couldn't have continued on, even if they wanted to.

Mark lead the way over to the house and knocked on the door. There was no answer. He cautiously tried turning the handle, but the door fell right off it's hinges. "How about that?" he chuckled.

The two men stepped inside and were greeted by a demolished living room with trash and debris scattered everywhere. There was a gaping hole in the roof, but it looked sheltered enough for one night's stay. Jack told his friend to wait in the front room while he checked the others. If there were any infected holed up here, he wanted to make sure Mark didn't get bitten too.

While he was gone, Mark busied himself with the task of trying to fix the door. In the end, it wasn't perfectly straight, but it would at least stay shut by itself.

After Jack had finished scouting out all the rooms, he returned to the foyer. "All clear."

"Good. Any beds?"

Jack made a disgusted face. "Yeah, but I ain't sleepin' in those. Something's been leakin' and everything is all moldy."

"I guess we'll stay out here then."

"Preferably away from that huge hole in the roof."

"Right."

Mark had actually thought to bring his sleeping bag, but Jack was at a loss. They had been in such a hurry to get out of camp, he had only brought his shoulder bag, still filled with all those dumb cigarettes. He'd never get the chance to cash those in either.

"Ya need a smoke?" he jeered, tossing all the cartons out onto the floor. He then overturned his bag to show his friend that the main compartment was now completely empty.

"Jesus, what'd you have all those for?" Mark eyed the significantly sized pile.

"I thought they'd make a nice pillow." the Irishman grated out sarcasticly.

"Here." Mark offered the sleeping bag to his friend.

"What? No. You keep it. I can... use my scarf."

Mark snorted. "Yeah, whatever." he chucked the rolled up sleeping bag at Jack and continued digging through his bag, then he pulled out a blanket. "I came prepared."

The two of them settled on the floor. Jack crawled into the sleeping bag, which smelled overwhelmingly like it’s owner. It wasn’t a bad thing though. In a way, it was sort of comfortable, and Jack had to shake his head to clear it of the intrusive thoughts that came after. He glanced back over at the American and saw him situating himself with the blanket.

"Hey, Merk..." Jack's voice suddenly stabbed the silence that had fallen over them.

"Hm?"

"Thank you, for everything. For sticking with the rest of us when you could've got yourself out, for leading us to our camp, for saving me today, and keepin' my head straight, just... Thank you."

Mark chuckled softly. "Heh. It wasn't the easy choice, but you and the others are worth it. I hope I've made that clear, you know?"

"Yeah.”

"I care about you, dude, you and all the others. Somebody's got to take care of them, if the fucking government won't..."

"I... Yeah."

"Anyway, it's been a long day, especially for you, I'd imagine. Get some rest now, okay?"

"But sleep is for the weak!"

"Jack." Mark warned, clearly not amused.

"Okay okay, fine. Night."

"Goodnight."

Mark didn't go to sleep though. He was too worried about Jack turning and possibly attacking him in his sleep. He stayed awake all night, just watching over his friend.


	5. Dwelling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack hasn’t changed yet, and he has a lot of time to contemplate his own mortality.

Jack woke to the sun shining through the hole in the roof. It was like the feeling when you wake up on your birthday and expect to feel older, but you just don’t. He was expecting to feel infected... or at least a little gross, but he felt fine. Not good, by any means, but normally neutral. He was caught between being happy that he was still alive, and anxious about when he was going to die. And then there was Mark. Stupid, sympathetic, selfless Mark. He had saved him yesterday, and he couldn’t even begin to thank him for all that he’d done thus far.

The other man was already awake, tinkering with the tools on his pocket knife. When he noticed Jack was awake, he was quick to greet him.

“Oh, hey, morning. You feeling okay?”

He nodded slightly. “Not dead yet.”

“And not craving human flesh, I hope?”

Jack shot him an annoyed look. “No, Merk.” though he was hungry, for regular food, not people.

Mark raised his hands in surrender. “Sorry, sorry. I was just making sure you didn’t wake up wanting to take a bite out of my brains.”

“Ya haven’t got any.” Jack scoffed in retaliation, and there was a touch of humor in it.

The American smirked at his joke. “Glad to see you’re in a better mood today.”

“I’m not really.” he sighed.

Mark’s grin fell off his face at that. “Right. So, you want breakfast?” he offered. He was sitting up and rummaging through his bag. He fished some rations out and handed a container to Jack. “This one has an earlier expiration date, so it should be fresher.” he smiled.

Jack couldn’t help but chuckle back. “Saving the good food for me, eh? Kinda a waste, don’t ya think?”

Mark looked hurt for a moment, then he met Jack’s eyes, more serious than he usually was. “No.”

After that, they ate in silence. When their meal was done, they began packing up their things, so they could get back on the road. Jack didn’t bother gathering up the cigarette cartons. He didn’t have any use for them anymore. He told Mark he could pick them up on his way back, if he wanted them. Mark had just agreed absently. He probably didn’t want to think about making the trip back alone. To be honest, Jack didn’t really want to imagine that either. If he thought about that, it surely lead to images of Mark actually shooting him, having to bury his body, lugging all his belongings back to camp. It felt awful. He hoped he wasn’t consciously aware when he died, that he wouldn’t have to feel it. He hoped it was quick and—

“Hey, you ready?” Mark’s voice shook Jack out of his frightening daydreams.

“What? Yeah, one second.” he secured the clasp on his bag and stood.

Concern crept over Mark’s features. “Okay, dude? What are you thinking about?”

“Oh, you know, just the sweet release of death.”

That got him a raised eyebrow from the American. “Not funny.”

“Yeah, I know, but it’s not untrue.”

“Maybe don’t focus on that...”

“Right.” but that was easier said than done.

The two set off again, not really going in any particular direction, despite Mark’s earlier jokes about Disneyland. There was a road they were following, but they didn’t exactly know which road it was, or if it would lead them anywhere in particular.

It was lucky on Jack’s part that Mark had thought to bring enough food and water for the both of them, because without that he would have surely died sooner rather than later. He could have blamed it on fearful avoidance or the premature rotting of his head, but no matter, he had been stupid not to think of that himself.

It was late afternoon when they finally happened upon a little cluster of structures that might have been houses once, but were pretty much just empty husks now. They were mostly weathered away by exposure after being abandoned. After checking out one of the most structurally sound looking of the bunch, the men decided that this would be their camp for the night. They were in the middle of nowhere by now, but at least that meant less of a chance to meet up with people who might cause a threat.

As they were about to settle in, an all too familiar groan came from one of the other small buildings. _Crap_.

They both jumped to attention and saw two infected sprinting towards them.

Jack was quickest to take out his weapon. He aimed swiftly, pulled the trigger, but missed. He tried again and found that his gun was jammed.

Meanwhile, Mark had his shotgun out and fired himself. While his weapon wasn’t as quick as Jack’s, it had a bit more range, and he effectively mowed down the two offenders before Jack could reload.

“Thanks,” Jack sighed with relief when they were down. He gave his friend a grateful nod. “Stupid hunk of crap.” he grumbled to the gun as he clicked the safety back on stuffed it in its holster.

Mark still looked on edge. “Probably should have searched the whole area before we got comfy, shouldn’t we?”

“I can go see.” Jack offered. He started to walk towards the next building, but Mark stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

“You shouldn’t go alone.”

Jack snorted. “What’re they gonna do that hasn’t already been done?”

“You could still get hurt. If there are too many—”

“Really, Merk? I’m a not a kid, I can handle a few zombies.” after the fuck-up he made yesterday, he felt he had something to prove. He was confident that he wouldn’t make that same mistake again.

Mark gave him a nervous look. “Fine, you can go check, just... be careful.” he reluctantly elected to stay at their camping spot while Jack checked the other buildings.

While on his mission, Jack discovered that most of the structures were one or two room shacks, temporary housing, so it didn’t take too long to search them. When he reached the last one, he was hit with an absolutely terrible smell. He peered into the house shell to find one lone zombie crouched in a corner. It looked preoccupied until Jack approached. And that must have been the smell. The thing was gnawing on a mutilated body. When it heard him, it growled and sprang forward, right into the barrel of Jack’s gun, Pow! and that was that. The Irishman glanced again at the decomposing human the zombie had been chewing. He was glad that whatever had happened to that guy hadn’t happened to him.

“Jack!?” he heard Mark yell from a few yards away. He must have been startled by the sound of gunfire.

“It’s okay, I’m okay.” he called back. He took one last look at the body, then he turned to head back to his and Mark’s spot.

“What was over there?” Mark asked when he returned.

“Just one,” Jack answered. “Chewin’ on some dead guy.”

Mark exhaled audibly. “I’m just glad you’re alright.”

“Well...”

“I mean, for the time being.” the American clarified.

Once Jack agreed, they began to really settle down for the night.


	6. Don’t Want to Die

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack’s not losing his humanity. He’s not. It’s just stress.

“Is it weird that I just want this to be over?” Jack asked unexpectedly, as they were finishing their evening meal. The sun was just starting to dip into the horizon, casting long shadows. Mark had been fiddling around with a stick to make shadowy shapes on the ground, and hadn’t been expecting Jack to say anything. He’d been quiet most of the time they’d been walking today, probably stuck in his own head. They were out in the open this time, only a couple of trees to fortify their little base.

I don’t think so.” Mark answered brazenly. He’d probably be thinking the same if it were him. “I’m sure that’s fairly normal for someone in your position.”

“Huh.” Jack grunted.

“Are you in any pain right now?”

“No?”

Mark nodded. “I just thought, because you’ve been so quiet, that you might not be telling me everything.”

Jack snorted. “If I was in extreme pain, I’d let ya know.”

“What about emotionally though?” he knew it was a weighted question. Jack might have more going on internally than he was capable of helping with, but still, he wanted to help, in whatever way he could.

“I dunno... it’s hard to explain. Like, have you ever been in a situation where ya seriously thought you were goin’ ta die?”

Mark thought for a moment. “I fell out of a tree when I was younger.” he offered.

Jack let out a hum of amusement. “Everyone falls outta trees when they’re young.”

“Yeah, but, I was high up. When the branch broke and I started falling, I was thinking that I was going to die.”

“But obviously, ya didn’t.”

“No, I only broke my arm, but I really did think I’d die, in that moment.”

Jack sighed. “I don’t think that’s the same. You had literal seconds ta think about what you were gonna do, but this...” he trailed off, then Mark understood what he was getting at.

“And you have indefinite time. You have all this in between to just... contemplate everything.”

Jack nodded. “I’ve thought about such weird stuff. Some are things that didn’t even matter before, and now I’m even prioritizing different.”

“How so?”

“I’m only considering what I want, disregarding the opinions and advice of others.” he gestured to Mark like he was an example.

“People cope in different ways.” Mark shrugged. Personally, he hadn’t taken any of the negative things Jack had said to heart, because he knew Jack must be going through some tough shit. Stress can cause all kinds of reactions.

“I just feel so fucked up. Like, I’m starting to not care. I’m losing what makes me human. Like Felix.” Jack stared into the setting sun, and Mark followed his gaze.

“You’re not like Felix.” he reassured the Irishman. “Felix is seriously traumatized. You, you’re just... scared.”

“Felix was scared too.”

“But not in the same way you are.”

“How is it any different?”

“I... I don’t know, but I know it is. I know you, and you just aren’t capable of that kind of contempt.”

Jack looked to him wearily. Mark noticed his eyes looked bloodshot, like he’d been straining them for too long. “We were both scared of each other, but you’re saying that he was wrong to do what he did?”

“Of course he was wrong! That’s not how you deal with that kind of situation! You can’t just shoot someone in the middle of camp because they have a bite mark on them! You take them to medical... or...”

“Take them to the middle of nowhere?” Jack finished.

Mark stared back, unblinking. He went over it all in his mind, and he started connecting dots. There was suddenly a bit of clarity to this whole disaster that he’d just figured out. “Okay,” he breathed, making sure he had Jack’s full attention. “Let me tell you why Felix is how he is. He was shy, alright, then he met these people who were good to him, treated him well, became his friends. He was never as close with anyone as those people: Ken and Marzia. Then all this shit happened and he had to see them die. Those were the people that he loved and relied on the most, and now they’re gone. Who do you think he leans on now?”

Jack shrugged half-heartedly.

“Himself,” the American continued. “Like he did before them. He doesn’t want anyone else to get as close as they were, because he’s afraid that they’ll suffer the same fate. He can’t attach himself to anyone else, or he risks hurting himself like that again. That’s why he can’t handle all this. That’s why he can’t change.”

Jack nodded as if he was also truly understanding this for the first time.

“But you,” he turns to Jack, “You’ve never been one to rely on other people. You’ve always been strong on your own. When shit goes down, you fight. You keep yourself grounded and you don’t let it get to you. I know this is bigger than everything else you’ve dealt with, but I know you’re strong enough. I know it.” as he finished his last sentence, he looked at his companion, on the brink of tears.

Jack’s eyes were also starting to water, and he couldn’t blame it on anything else. He slumped over and buried his face in Mark’s shoulder, seemingly defeated.

Mark wrapped his arm around Jack, bringing him in, holding on just a little tighter than necessary.

Jack leaned into this and sniffedto himself. “I’m... I’m glad he didn’t kill me. If anyone has to, I kinda glad it’s you.”

“I really don’t want to do this.”

“And I don’t wanna die. But at least, if you do it, you’ll feel some semblance of regret. You’ll feel pain. Fe might not’ve.” Mark knew he was right. They sat there for a few minutes, and finally, Jack leaned away.

“You okay?”

Jack hummed an affirmative.

“You should rest now.”

“I’m afraid, if I go to sleep, I won’t be me in the morning...”

“I know,” Mark murmured.

Jack crawled into the sleeping bag and settled in anyway.


	7. Regrets and Risks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The time is drawing near. Jack is being a little pushy, but that's not his fault, right?

Jack still hadn’t changed by the next morning. He had roughly 12 more hours left, nothing guaranteed, but he still didn’t feel like anything was wrong. Was he supposed to feel sick? He had no idea what should be happening. They were far enough away from the others that they decided to stay put and wait it out.

They ate a little of their rations for breakfast, then wandered around the cluster of structures, in the daylight now. They found a water pump and briefly celebrated before they discovered that it was rusted out.

They sat around their little encampment the rest of the day without much chatter. Mark seemed pretty moody and Jack didn’t want to make that any worse. He wasn’t stupid. He knew Mark hadn’t been sleeping well ever since the incident. Not that Mark had a very good relationship with sleep to begin with, but the constant threat of Jack turning into a zombie probably wasn’t helping much.

It started to get unusually chilly around afternoon, and Mark suggested that they gather wood to make a fire that night. Maybe they could warm up their rations for a change.

Jack had scoured the cupboards of the abandoned shacks and had turned up with a sealed package of cookies, a lucky find indeed.

That night they had a good meal and built a warm campfire. It was almost like they were just camping now, without any immanent danger, even though deep down, they still felt it looming over them.

They were sitting around the makeshift fire pit when Mark looked at his watch, sighing heavily.

“What?”

“Isn’t it about time?”

“Yeah... only like an hour. I don’t know what’s going on. Maybe the effects are delayed because of... something?” he still didn’t feel uncomfortable beyond the usual amount. It was starting to get nerve-wracking to even think about it. Was it supposed to gradually get worse? If it was, he didn’t notice anything changing. Maybe it’d happen all at once, a big snap that pushed him into kill mode.

The time was getting painfully close. He was running out of time. That’s when Mark sprung the question on him.

“Seán, what do you regret?”

“Huh?” Jack didn’t know what he was talking about for a good minute, but then he remembered their conversation from last night.

“Yesterday,” Mark said. “You were talking about regret, and how I’m gonna feel when all this is... over. I was just wondering if there was anything you regret, in particular?”

“Well yeah, of course. Firstly, I wish I’d never come ta America.” he scoffed.

Mark chuckled a little, but then he went back to his original expression. “No, really. Just, in general.”

Jack stopped joking and really thought about it. “I... wish I would’ve had a chance to say goodbye to people... to my family, to Robin, and Signe...” his face fell and his eyes were looking somewhere far off into the distance. Robin hadn’t come to the convention with the others. He and Jack hadn’t been in contact after the whole lockdown thing. He hadn’t talked to his parents since then either. And Signe... the attack on the road to their new camp had just happened so quickly, there wasn’t a chance to say anything. She hadn’t been bitten, just outright killed. It had been almost a year since then, but of course it all still stung.

“I’m sorry.” Mark sighed. “I didn’t mean to bring up old memories.”

“No, it’s not your fault.”

“I know, I still don’t like the outcome though. It sucks.”

Jack shrugged. “Nothing we can do about it now.”

“Yeah. Is there anything else you’d do, if you got the chance?” Mark reached out and took a stick from their pile. He poked at the fire to agitate it a little.

Jack watched him and he thought about it. He saw the orange light flicker across his friend's face, little flames dancing in each dark eye as he stoked the fire. Jack was struck with the urge to get closer. Then, he realized it, one thing he’d never had the balls to do. Once Mark set the stick down and turned back to him, his mind was made up. Without any further thought, he grabbed the front of Mark's shirt and tugged him in. Then their lips were touching, moving against each other softly. Jack wondered briefly if this was a mistake, but he quickly decided he didn't care. Mark wasn't pulling away, at least. When they did separate though, Mark's mouth hung open in bewilderment. It took a minute for him to regain his orientation, but then he was exploding.

"Jack! You can't just- I have- What the hell?"

"Live for right now, right?" Jack smirked.

"T-that doesn't mean you should go around kissing people! I was talking about doing stuff you want, like stuff you'll never be able to do otherwise, not just being reckless and..." he trailed off.

"Well, I've thought about doin' that for a while, and for all we know this is the last chance I'll get to do it."

"W-what do you mean?"

Jack exhaled dramatically. "Jesus Chirst, Merk. You're so dense! I like ya, okay? I have for like, forever." as if Mark's eyes could get any wider. "I would’ve never been able to tell ya before, but now... I had to do something about it, or I'd hate myself."

Things were silent for far too long, and Mark stared. Then he looked away and Jack though maybe he had just decided to never speak to him again.

"But I'm with Amy..." the American mumbled, almost to himself, as he stared vacantly into the distance.

"I know. I didn’t mean to drop that bombshell. I just... had to get that off my chest. It's okay if ya don't feel the same."

"No, no, you don't understand. I want... I like you, but I can't. I'm already- I love her." Mark stammered. "I can't. That would be wrong."

Now Jack was the one that was surprised. "Wait wait, bring it back a second. You mean, you actually like me?!"

"I..."

" _Merk._ " Jack urged.

"Okay okay, I do, but it's complicated."

"What's complicated?"

"This." Mark gestured vaguely to the both of them. "We can't do anything. I'd be cheating."

"Well..." Jack sighed. "I'm gonna die anyway."

"What?"

"I'm gonna die any day now, Merk."

"Yeah, but..."

"It doesn't have to be anything else, because I'll be gone soon."

"I-I don't want think about that!"

"Then just don't think about anything."

Mark stayed quiet and went back to staring at his feet. He was most likely lost in thought. It seemed like an eternity later when Mark turned back to his friend, with desperate eyes. "If you-"

Without waiting for Mark to finish his sentence, Jack leaned in again. Mark didn't seem as surprised, he even closed his eyes on instinct this time. It was longer than the kiss before, but for Jack it still ended too soon. With a sudden movement, Mark's hand was on his chest, then he was slowly pushing them apart.

"Wait, stop."

"Hm?" the Irishman reluctantly pulled back.

"We can't." the American choked out. "This isn’t fair to Amy."

Jack sighed, his eyes falling back to the flames in front of them. "I know. I shouldn't have pushed it. I'm being selfish..."

"It's okay. You have reason to be.” Mark reached over and rested his palm on Jack's knee. "I'm really sorry."

Jack had to accept that this was meant to be a comforting gesture and not a romantic one. "It's fine." he forced out.

"It's really not. I'm sorry I can't be what you want me to be. I swear, if things were different-"

"Don't." Jack stopped him. "It'll just make me feel worse. Let's just- go to sleep, okay? I don't want to dwell on it anymore." although, he already knew he would, for however long he had left. It wasn't his usual self to be brooding or spiteful, but he had changed a lot in the past couple days. Nothing seemed fair anymore and he was just going to have to deal with it.

"Okay, if that's what you want." came Mark's reply.

Neither of them said anything else as Mark carefully laid out the sleeping bag and retrieved the blanket from his bag. When he was done, he sat down on the makeshift bed. Jack was still distracted, staring into the fire.

"Hey," he heard Mark's voice over his own thoughts. "Bed’s ready. Come lie down." he patted the spot next to him.

Jack shook himself out of the daze. "Yeah." he answered, then crawled over to join Mark. He laid on his side, facing away from the other man. Mark draped the blanket over the both of them, and for some reason that made Jack feel the tiniest bit safer, even if they were still practically out in the open. The silence was tense though, and Jack couldn't relax enough to sleep.

"I'm really sorry..." he murmured.

"Shhh. I said it's okay." Mark replied, patting Jack's shoulder. He was still sitting upright, with no actual intention of going to sleep.

"No, I'm being stupid." Jack insisted.

"Don't say that."

"It's true though! I think it's the infection... It does something to your brain, right?"

Mark made an inquisitive noise.

"Like... You start making irrational choices." Jack elaborated.

"I don't think it was irrational. You know what you want, and were just trying to get it. That's not a bad trait, it's just-"

"Just forcing myself on someone who's already committed." Jack finished flatly.

Mark cleared his throat to fill the void of awkwardness resonating in the air.

"I'm just so scared, Merk" Jack suddenly rolled over and sat up. He looked at Mark with pure terror in his eyes. "I didn't mean to be pushy. I think I just really want a distraction... or... something to hold onto." he hesitated for a while. "It just helps me feel a little better..." maybe that was all Jack needed right now, someone to keep him grounded.

"Well, I think that much I can do." Mark answered warmly. He held open his arms, inviting the Irishman to hug him.

Jack gave him a grateful smile and accepted the gesture. When he went to move back, Mark kept an arm around him. Jack glanced at him, confused.

"Here, just lay back down, like this. You can keep holding onto me, okay?"

"O-okay" Jack answered meekly. They were both laying down now, and Jack was snuggled up to Mark's side.

"Is this better?" Mark asked.

"I think... Yeah." and then his mind was clouded. He was comfortable enough to drift off. Maybe he’d change in his sleep, who knew. They’d just have to deal with it in the morning, but for now everything felt deceptively safe.

*******

That night, Mark's instincts betrayed him. He fell asleep. He might not have, if not for Jack clinging to him in the darkness, with the warmth of his body pressed against the other man. Mark didn't have the heart to push him away. It was Jack's dying wish, just to be close to him. He couldn't bring himself to deny him of that.

He admitted that he always did have sort of a soft spot for the Irishman, but after he had realized what that feeling really was, it was already too late. He had tried to block it out, because he was already in a happy relationship, but the what if's still stayed rooted in his brain.

He loved Amy, but suppose he had never even met her. Would things be different then, between him and Jack? What if Signe hadn't been killed? Would Jack still feel the same about him?

Aside from all that, there was another question on Mark’s mind as well; why hadn’t Jack changed yet?

It had to happen soon. It had to.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ow


	8. Genetic Variation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Could it be possible?

It was dawn on the fourth day and Mark hadn't realized he’d slept through the night until he was awake. As the sun rose, he looked over the sleeping body of his friend. The bite mark on Jack's neck didn't look as bad anymore. It even appeared to be healing, like any normal wound. Mark knew that couldn’t be true though. Bites from the infected never healed, they just spread that horrid flesh-rotting disease. Even so, he couldn't figure out how or why Jack was still okay. It had been longer than 3 days. It should have happened last night at the latest. The infection should have set in by now, but it hadn't. There was only one possibility that Mark could come up with, but he didn't want to get his hopes up.

When Jack woke, he was confused, and rightly so. "I'm still alive... I’m still... sane."

"Yeah."

"I don't understand." he rubbed at his neck, where the bite mark was. Perhaps to confirm that it was actually there and not just some dream he had been having.

"Me either. Although, I can think of one hypothesis."

"... What?"

"There's got to be people who are immune to that stuff, right?" Mark proposed. "I mean, with the laws of genetic variation and all that."

"Ya think I'm immune?" Jack's eyes widened at the prospect.

"That's all I've come up with. I can't imagine the infection being this delayed. Once something is in your bloodstream, things go south quick."

"That seems unlikely, but I wouldn't rule it out. I trust your diagnosis. You did go to school for that shit, after all."

"I dropped out." Mark reminded him.

"You retained a lot of that sciency stuff though."

"Hm. Yeah." the American hummed dismissively and rolled his eyes. Jack waited a while, to see if he had any more input, but it seemed as though Mark had nothing left to say.

"So, if you're right and this bite isn’t going to change me, then what do we do about it?"

"No idea. Go back to camp? Let them test you? I don't know." shrugged Mark. "This has never happened, at least not around here. I don't know what the protocol is for something like this."

"Do we really have to go back? Maybe we just start new lives out here, yeah? Live in a broken-down little shack and stab the zombies with sticks." Mark could tell that he was only half joking.

"You're kidding. Where would we get food?"

“We can live off the land, hunt and scavenge.”

“What about water? California isn’t really known for reliable water sources.”

"Oh, right."

Mark sighed. "Besides, I have get back to camp. They count on me."

"Yeah," Jack grumbled. "Of course you have responsibilities, Mr. Leader."

“I wouldn’t abandon the others.”

“Yeah, I know. I was just jokin’.”

“Were you?” Mark teased.

“Shut up! Even in the apocalypse, I can still have dreams.”

***

They set off earlier than usual that morning, hoping they’d make it back to the stadium by sundown. It was a stretch, but they were starting to run low on supplies, and Jack needed to be tested as soon as possible.

The whole way back, Mark was overflowing with hopefulness. This could be the start of a cure! The infection could be studied and an antidote could be developed! It was so exciting, he was practically jumping as they walked, gushing to Jack about how this could save everyone. Jack, for once since everything had went down, seemed optimistic about the future. Mark saw a bit of that old gleam in his friend’s eyes.

When they arrived back at the camp, everyone was suspicious. Everyone kept their distance from Jack, except for a certain hot-headed Swedish guy.

“What is he doing back here!?” Felix shouted. “You were supposed to kill him, Mark.”

“It’s been six days!” Mark exclaimed. “Way longer than 72 hours, and he hasn’t had any problems. No changes, no discomfort, just healing. The bite is healing!”

“Let me see.” the swede huffed out, getting closer. He looked over the bite mark. He examined Jack’s eyes, gauging them for cloudiness associated with the change. Even he couldn’t deny that there was no deterioration happening. “What the fuck?”

“I don’t know, man!”

Felix looked absolutely floored. “You should... get him to medical, or something.”

“That’s where we’re going.”

Immediately from there, they took Jack over to clinic tent and explained the situation to the medic. She seemed a bit confused, but gave Jack a check-up anyway, then tested his blood for infection. They all sat and waited the allotted time for the test results.

“It’s negative.” the medic said, astonished. “How long ago did you say this bite happened?” she looked over it again.

“It’s been almost a week.” Jack answered.

“Extraordinary! It’s even beginning to heal.”

Jack looked to Mark, his expression hopeful.

Mark beamed back. “So what do we do now?” he asked the medic.

“I’ll have to contact the government’s medical science department. They’re going to want to study you. Until then you need to stay here.”

“I can stay with you, if you want.” Mark offered.

“I’ll be fine now. You should probably go let Amy know you’re home.”

“Shit!” Mark got up from the chair he’d been sitting in. He apologized for rushing out and started sprinting towards he and Amy’s shelter. He met her halfway there. She ran to him and wrapped her arms around him. He lifted her up, like in some satire romance novel.

“You were gone longer than three days, and I was so worried. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, I’m fine.” Mark repeated to her as he held her close. “We got back safe.“

Amy looked up at him, face full of relief, but also confusion. “ _We?_ ”  


***

Word spread from the camp in the upcoming days and by the next week, scientists who specialized in cure research were coming into the camp.

Jack got poked with a lot of needles and had to undergo many tests. He got a blood test, a hair test, a mouth swab, a swab from the wound, the list went on and on. The scientists had a sample of nearly every bodily fluid in him.

Mark had always feared that whoever had the potential to fight off the disease would be dehumanized and asked to give themselves up for science, but most of this seemed fairly noninvasive. They wanted to closely monitor Jack, but he wasn’t being confined to the medical tent.

For the most part, things went on as usual. Mark went back to organizing the patrols and keeping everything at the settlement in order. Hunting and scavenging parties would still head out every day, but Jack was not allowed to leave the camp for the time being.

Doctors came back with more negative test results and leads. They were finding out what caused the mutation and how they could use that information to consolidate a cure. It was everything Mark had told him to be hopeful for. They were starting to understand the infection and what caused it, more than they had before.

“It’s your genes.” one of the many doctors had explained to Jack. “You have a minute, rare mutation that allows naturally accruing antibodies to fight off the fast-spreading infection. All we need is a large enough DNA sample, and we could start trying to replicate it.”

“That’s it? You don’t need to harvest my brain or anything?”

The doctor had just laughed.

So, for the time being, Jack wasn’t going to die. He didn’t know really how he felt about that yet. He had been so paranoid about having to face death soon, but now he was in the clear. It was a huge leap from where he had been a few days ago, sat out in the middle of nowhere, crying to Mark about how fucked up it all was.

The two of them had really bonded over the course of that little excursion, and Jack kind of didn’t want to let go of that. It had been a mistake to kiss Mark, yeah, but of course he still wanted to be close to him. Everything during the last few days had been life or death, but it was over now and Jack knew he had to let it go. Whatever moment they might have had back there, it just couldn’t be.

He had to turn off that section of his brain now. He needed to start focusing on everything that was going right. For the first time in a long time, things were finally turning up.


End file.
